Key locked fastening for attache cases and the like



KEY LOCKED FASTENINGS FOR ATTACHE CASES AND THE LIKE Filed April 25, 1945 Jan. 18, 1949. c, w, CHENEY 2,459,683

5-:3 7? 5? w E 7 0 II I z I I zoft n i o:

I I -12 1 1 C): 7 8 1. \NVENTOEJ CMTI WI lIiomChen'Q QT ATT y,

3 with the front-plate and the back-plate of the casing indicated in dotted lines only, and

Fig. 14 is a separate view of the back plate of the casing.

The casing 1 comprises front plate la and back plate lb and contains a slidable bolt 2 and key operated bolt-locking devices 3'. all of which are constructed, applied, and arranged to operate in a manner well known in the art; the invention consisting essentially in a key-supporting and key-selecting mechanism contained within the hollow projecting knob applied to the front plate of the casing, with the exception of minor changes in the bolt or casing co-operative with said key-supporting and key-selecting mechanism end l6e on the key l6, and the bolt 2 a circular seating 2a for this circular end to enter to a stop-shoulder "if and turn in to correctly position the notches [60 to the stop-abutments or projections l of the selector plates 6, l, and 8.

' Inthe arrangement ofthe invention Figs. 12 to 14 the knob 4, containing the key-supporting piece 5 and the plates 6, I, 8, and 9, is connected by the lugs 18a and Hlb to the fixed back plate .lb of the casing instead of to the bolt 2, so that the knob'll is fixedon the face of the front plate [of a separate hand-operated knob ll being proand the key, the whole of which will beherein- Y [,througl'l clearance slots I8 in the bolt and rivet- The hollow knob 4 is closed at its sides, is

open at its back and is closed at its front'wall' after particularly described.

except for a circular hole-4a, said front wall being alsopro'vided with a gap 41) for key insertion. Engaging the hole 4a. in the front wall of the knob to turn therein is a key-supporting piece 5 having a central boss 50: to fit the hole 4a and through which a key opening 5b passes, said piece 5 having a boundary flange 50 to face up to the inside surface of the front wall of the knob, as clearly represented by Figs. 2 and 3. Surrounding thefiange 5c is a ring-like support, 6, fixed within theknob, and within whose bore, 6a, the key-supporting piece 5 is revolvable as well as being revolvable in the hole 4a of the front wall of the knob.

At the back of the ring-like support 6 ar three flat key-selecting plates 1, 8, and 9, lying against each other and with. the forward one I ,lying, against the support :6, while inwardly of the plate 9, and still within the knob, is a further plate l0 lying against the plate 9 and having right-angled lugs Illa and lflb as parts of it to connect it to the bolt 2 as clearly shown in Fig. 3; all these plates, 1, 8,8, and I0, together with the ring-plate 6, being rivetted together and tothe front wall of the knob casing at II and 12, so that they become fixed to the knob casing concentric with the key-supporting piece 5, while allowing said key-supporting piece to revolve within the knob casing.

Each of the selector-plates l, 8, and 9, is formed witha central hole l3 of a different diameter to the hole through the other plates, and has a radial gap l4 extending from said hole for key entrance and to provide at the junctions between' the hole and the gap stop-abutments or key-selector projections l5 which operate either to admit of a ke turning if correctly grooved and notched, or to prevent a key turning if an incorrect or false key is tried.

The key I6, Fig, 6, is of a type, having a fiat shank grooved longitudinally at I61) and notched transversely at 160, the groove to co-operate with a longitudinal rib 5d within the key-hole of the key-supporting piece 5, and the notches to co- A operate with the stop-abutments or selectorvided on the face 'of said front-plate and connected with the bolt 2 to hand retract the bolt against its, spring, the lugs 10a, lllb passing ting in holes I9 in the back plate of the casing, theknob I! being connected to the bolt 2 by a shank on the back of it being rivetted in a hole 20 provided in the bolt. 1

As previously stated, except for the key-seating 2a either in the bolt '2 Figs. 1 to 9 or in the back plate of the casing Figs. 12 to 14, said casing, bolt and key-operated bolt-locking device 3 are substantially as ordinarily, any minor change being only consequent upon the knob 4 and the parts contained within it being either slidable on the casing or fixed on said casing.

Instead of the selector plates 6, I, and 8 providing stop-abutments or key-selector projections such as IS, a tubular split member formed with said abutments or projections can be substituted and fixed within the knob 4 axially to pass the key, through at the split and to co-operate with the notches in the key; the revolvable key-supporting piece 5 being provided to operate as described. Such a tubular member can beinterchangeable to the knob casing, and therefore can provide for different key-changes.

.What I claim is:

1. In key-locked fastenings of the kind described,-a bolt-member combining a casing, a bolt in the casing, bolt-locking devices within the casing, a seating in the casing for the forward end of the key to engage, a hollow stationary knob on the face of the casing and which is open at its back and has a circular and notched hole through its front wall; a revolvable key-supporting piece within the knob and hole, fixed keyselecting projections within the knob at the back of-the keyl supporting piece, and means for hand retracting the bolt including an additional member slidable on the face of the casin and connected with the bolt.

2. In key-locked fastenings of the kind described, a bolt-member combining a casing, a bolt in the casing, bolt-locking devices within the casing, a, seating in the bolt for the forward end of the key to engage, a hollow knob mounted slidably on the face of the casing and which is open at its back and has a circular and notched hole through its front wall, a revolvable keysupporting'piece within the knob and hole, fixed key-selecting projections within the knob at the back of the key-supporting piece, and means connecting said slidable knob with said bolt.

3. In key-locked fastenings of the kind described, a bolt-member combining a casing, a bolt in the casing, bolt-locking devices within the casing, a seating in the bolt for the forward end of the key. to engage, a hollow knob mounted revolvable key-supporting piece and fixed keyselecting' projections are provided to constitute a knob-unit, and means connecting said knob with the bolt 'and which also forms a part of the knobunit.

4. I key-locked fastenings of the kind dein t e casing, bolt-locking devices within the a seating in the bolt for the forward end key to engage, a hollow knob mounted pporting piece and which comprise a series 0 annular superposed discs of different inner dia ters and uniform outer diameter fitting the knob each disc being provided with a radial notch to' permit insertion of the key, said discs being assembled in the knob as aunit with their notches aligned with one another and with a notch in the front wall of the knob, and means for connecting said knob with the bolt and which also forms a part of the knob-unit.

CHARLES WILLIAM CHENE'Y.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

- UNITED STATES PATENTS 

